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Glade Community Questionnaire: June 2017

The following survey was delivered to each residence in the Glade Community, and it was completed as a way to respond to KLC's draft cutting plans in June 2017. Approximately a week later, we had received 58 responses. We approximate that the survey results represent 54 households, or just over 1/3 of all Glade households. The responses we received show a good random sampling of our community. Here are some of the high points of the questionnaire from the 58 respondents:

• 100% believe that drinking water is a priority
• 96% agree Glade should have a strong influence on any resource extraction
• 84% do not have confidence that KLC plans will keep Glade water safe 
• 68% think that KLC will not leave our hiking trails and waterfall intact
• 95% are very concerned about roads in the watershed
• 74% agree or are neutral in regards to KLC being valued as an important member of the Kootenay community
• 96% believe that forested watersheds best protect our water
• 97% agree that the watershed would benefit from restoration work
• 91% agree that we need a community meeting with KLC
• 95% agree that all watersheds should be protected, like Vancouver and Victoria
• 97% agree that the Glade Watershed Protection Society is working to protect the water on behalf of Glade

Questionnaire

This is the questionnaire that was delivered to each household:
HELP US RESPOND TO KALESNIKOFF’S CUTTING PLANS
Please take a few moments to answer the questions below and add your thoughts to our response to Kalesnikoff’s proposed logging plans to cut in our watershed.  We have until the end of June to send our ideas to the company.
KLC has three cut blocks planned so far for Glade Creek Watershed. One is completely within our watershed; the other two are about 50% and 60% within Glade Watershed.
For each statement, mark one box (Strongly Agree / Agree / Neutral / Disagree / Strongly Disagree ) that most accurately describes your thoughts and how you think about it.

1. Drinking water is a priority for Glade residents.
2. I feel that Glade residents should have a strong influence and direct input on what and how logging – or any resource extraction - is conducted in the watershed that provides us with our drinking water.
3. I believe that the quality and quantity of water within a watershed is largely a function of the intact forest cover and that water quality is maintained best in forested watersheds.
4. I am aware of Kalesnikoff’s plans for logging in the Glade Watershed.
5. I have confidence that Kalesnikoff’s plans for logging in the Glade Watershed will keep Glade drinking water safe.  
6. I believe that Kalesnikoff has listened to concerns about Glade watershed and drinking water and the company will be able to protect our water.
7. I am aware that the APEX hydrology report that Kalesnikoff commissioned, did not address the impact of roads or climate change on the potential for impact on the quality, quantity, or timing of flow for Glade creek.
8. I believe that Kalesnikoff will ensure that hiking trails and waterfalls in the Glade Watershed will be left intact.
9. I value Kalesnikoff Lumber Company as an important member of the local community.
10. I am worried that the extra traffic from large lumber trucks will disrupt our quiet way of life in Glade and create a safety hazard for our residents, especially our children and elders.
11. I have concerns about other activities associated with new logging roads, for example, increased numbers of motorized vehicles, and hunters,  which could lead to landslide events, forest fires, and increased contamination of drinking water.
12. Cutblock 4 (see http://www.protectgladewatershed.com/proposed-logging-kalesnikoff.html)  is a sensitive, steep area above the water intake for Glade water system. I am concerned that cutting in this area will induce landslides, turbidity and greatly affect the flow, quantity and timing of the water.
13. Glade has a history of turbidity resulting from past events and forcing a boil water notice. I believe we should address the issues of turbidity and restoration of the watershed before timber companies log and clear cut in the forest.
14. I am aware that the large watersheds of Vancouver and Victoria have been re-protected and are safe from ANY industrial activity, but that here in the Kootenays almost all our watersheds are being logged. I believe that all Watersheds should be protected and that resource extraction should NOT occur in any community drinking water watersheds.
15. I am aware of the Glade Watershed Protection Society and I believe the group is working to protect the water on behalf of Glade residents.
16. I think that restoration work in the watershed would be a good option. This would be remedial work, using an ecosystem based management plan that could, in the long run, ensure clean, safe water for many years to come.
17. I think that more weight should be given to the value that the forest adds to the health and welfare of all life and that more consideration be given to how we care for the elements of nature that provide us with these benefits. This value is as important as, or even more important than economic gain, for without the forest ecosystems we cannot flourish.
18. A Community meeting needs to be held with KLC to ensure all information is being shared and concerns/questions addressed.

This survey will be collected, photocopied, and forwarded to KLC.  The results will be posted on Facebook and our website.  No names will be used in the public forum. Please add your name and address if you choose.  Thank you for taking the time to fill this out. 

Bar Graph Results

These are the bar graph results of the questionnaire after collection and tabulating.
Question #4 (I am aware of Kalesnikoff’s plans for logging in the Glade Watershed) was omitted because respondents were unsure if it meant they knew there were plans to log or if they approved or disapproved of the plans themselves.

bargraph.questionnaire.jun2017.pdf
File Size:	638 kb
File Type:	pdf

Download File

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Comments by Glade Residents

Residents were able to comment on the questionnaire. These are the comments that came back to us on the Glade Questionnaire. They reveal a variety of positions and suggestions, they were written by longtime residents and new residents to our community.   We received 34 comments out of 58 responses, so 58% of respondents made a comment.

1. All the logs that will be taken is not worth the value and could cause more unforeseen damage in the future.
2. I don’t feel like an equal citizen if our watershed doesn’t get protected, but the watersheds of Vancouver and Victoria (are). All citizens should have the same rights before the law.
3. I think that there is an opportunity to work with Kalesnikoff lumber to improve our water quality and ensure the viability of our watershed for future generations.
4. As a Class 1 driver license holder and professional driver we take great care in making sure citizens of the community we are hauling in are safe.
5. Please protect our watershed!
6. I do not understand how things like still happen in such a well-informed society. Everyone knows what happens to the water when you log in a watershed. Always bad water, unusable.
7. Watersheds should be protected against industrial activities. I’d like to see KLC take a leadership role and work with the community to preserve community watersheds – to lobby gov’t for changes in this direction and make available tenures that don’t put pressure on drinking water, potential or otherwise.  
8. Another major concern is the section of the Glade Ferry Road from the railroad tracks to the main highway. The amount of stress fractures and the road slowly sloping to give way eventually. The increased traffic of many trucks and machinery will only make the roadcollapsse sooner.  The one section of road is so narrow – like a goat trail – especially in the winter (bad enough in the summer). Premier Christy Clark would never drive on a road like we (the Glade Residents) have to on a daily basis. Logging trucks will only make the road worse and collapse sooner.
9. The government should stop this from happening.
10. Our top two concerns, other than that the watershed needs protecting, are 1)logging traffic is dangerous on the ferry road (narrow and drivers rushing to and from the ferry) and 2) roads in the watershed will invite activity in the watershed (no human activity should exist there.)
11. Water is more important than money. Cannot live without water. What goes around comes around. No logging in the Glade watershed. Thank you!
12. Logging traffic was never through communities like ours in the past. I would like to know why it is now. Question for engineering officer @ MOF Castlegar.
13. There is lots of forests to log – they should stay out of watersheds and help protect (our) drinking water at all costs and respect the people’s choice.
14. Our water resource needs to be kept safe and clean for generations. Logging could prevent that from happening.
15. Water is a sacred thing and all living beings on this planet require it. We in BC need to wise up, get real, protect this life sustaining natural resource.  We have so many communities under boil water advisories across the province, many of these have been a direct result of logging in watersheds.  We need lumber companies coming to the table recognizing this and changing their practice to protect water. Especially when there is a real cost to the citizens of BC who rely on clean water. It is not just human cost but all other wildlife flora & fauna living in these ecosystems. 
16. Lumber companies need to be leaders, their children & grandchildren rely on these waters & wild lands too.
17. The Glade Watershed Protection group has worked very hard to consult with KLC.  Many requests for meetings have been made. KLC should meet with the community at the hall. KLC should not harvest the Cutblock above the intake.  This plan should be abandoned in deference to the wishes of the Glade residents. BC Timber Sales was willing to adjust plans at Jefferd Creek in a similar scenario. KLC could show flexibility too.
18. It would be highly irresponsible to allow a company to log in a watershed without a 100% guarantee.  Watersheds should be protected at all cost because there is less and less drinkable water becoming available.
19. If they go ahead and compromise our water source they should be held responsible and be liable to provide  water-wells enough to supply the whole community.
20. A swap of cutblocks that are in watersheds should be swapped for other cutblocks of equal or greater value to balance economic & environmental concerns.  A proposal to the Ministry of Forests & Minister for the ‘swap’ should be made ASAP.
21. (To the Glade Watershed Protection Society):  Thank you for all the hard work you are doing to preserve the water and the quality of life in Glade.
22. All watersheds need to be protected at all costs.
23. If KLC logs as planned, not only will we lose the peace and beauty of this area, but also the possibility of pollution of our water supply and reductions (in water supply) which should never be an option.  I hope KLC realizes what the negative results of logging in this unspoilt area will mean to the residents!  And think again.
24. Any watershed used for drinking water supply should be kept as pristine as possible!
25. In my opinion I believe that we cannot stop KLC from logging but we as residents together with the awesome Glade Watershed Protection Society can monitor the work and possibly have positive results that will meet our priority standards, which would be selective logging.
26. I would like the little valley (our watershed) to be left alone. The eco system would suffer as well as the residents of Glade when the valley is logged & the watershed is tampered with.
27. We feel that logging is an important part of our economy, but we feel that access to clean water is even more so. Secondary to the logging, the traffic and the continued motorized use in our vital watershed! doesn’t serve any of the glade irrigation users.  The long term consequences of logging are quite terrifying; we oppose it strongly!
28. Being an outdoor’s man I get to see the damage that is done. The cutblocks that are in view of the public (ie highways) are selectively logged and look ok, but the cutblocks that are out of view are clear cut without leaving any of the smaller trees standing. Most of the small ones are just cut to make way and are left on the forest floor to rot. Surprising they are not logging their own watersheds.
29. Simple don’t log in any Castlegar watershed, (or) in Canada.
30. I believe KLC should be trying to work with and listen to the concerns of the Glade residents instead of mocking them. Please, please stay out of our watershed! Please, go in from another way than our ferry and our quiet community!
31. Water is life. Not just humans but the whole ecosystem needs clean water. Canada needs to make more products with wood to make it more valuable and stop lower cutting rates. It is unsustainable.  Think about the future.
32. We (are) grateful for the Glade Watershed Protection Society.  The health and protection of the Glade watershed is the key to the health of the community, as well all need safe and clean water. The preservation of the watershed for future generations and wildlife, plus flora and fauna are longterm needs.  Logging in a watershed is short term profit and long term loss. 
33. I have witnessed the completed cut site in goose/Pass creek that KLC completed logging in Feb (2017) and cannot feel confident that KLC will show respect for the flora that is not useful to them.  Also, considering the damage to existing access roads above Glade (caused by public seeking fun and challenge) I do not feel there should be more roads into our watershed and mountain areas. Furthermore – considering that KLC have expanded the width of roads proposed in our watershed since they have discovered that the new ferry will be able to accommodate larger trucks, I feel this blatant display of insatiable greed shows that they will not be considerate and respectful users of the watershed.
34. If logging is going ahead in the Glade Watershed I would like to see both the BC Forest Service and Kalesnikoff Company put a bond forth to remedy the problem should the water source be tampered with due to logging.